RATIONALE: Learning about the effect of nutritional supplements on quality of life in patients receiving chemotherapy for cancer may help doctors plan the best treatment.

PURPOSE: This randomized phase II trial is studying nutritional supplements to see how well they work in improving quality of life during first-line chemotherapy in patients with metastatic gynecologic cancer.

Arm III: Patients receive nutritional supplements and are monitored via standard follow-up assessments every 3 weeks with additional biweekly assessments completed at home by a service provider.

Eligibility

Ages Eligible for Study:

18 Years to 65 Years

Genders Eligible for Study:

Female

Accepts Healthy Volunteers:

No

Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

Histologically confirmed gynecological cancer

Currently receiving first-line chemotherapy for metastatic disease

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

WHO performance status (PS) 0-2 or Karnofsky PS 70-100%

Not pregnant or nursing

Intake < 75% of theoretical need

Weight loss ≥ 5% within the past 6 months

No patients with dementia or altered mental status

No psychological, familial, social, or geographic situations that preclude clinical follow up

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

See Disease Characteristics

No concurrent radiotherapy

Contacts and Locations

Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study.
To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the Contacts provided below.
For general information, see Learn About Clinical Studies.

Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00905658